Nomos 37

KINGS OF THRACE. Lysimachos, 305-281 BC. Drachm (Silver, 19 mm, 4.29 g, 1 h), Magnesia, circa 286-281. Diademed head of the deified Alexander the Great to right, with horn of Ammon over his ear. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΛΥΣΙΜΑΧΟΥ Athena Nikephoros seated to left on kippos, holding, on her outstretched right hand, Nike standing left to crown the royal name, and resting her left arm on a grounded shield with a lion's head at its center; transverse spear behind; on the throne, palmette (?); in the inner left field, monogram of ΠΑΡ; in the outer left field, trident head upwards. Müller 330. Thompson 118. With a startlingly realistic or, rather, humanistic, 'portrait' of of the divine Alexander. Minor marks and scrapes. Nearly extremely fine.

From a German collection.

Late in the reign of Lysimachus (and possibly posthumously) Magnesia produced a series of drachms with often strange portraits of the deified Alexander. They actually look like real people - this one certainly does, and one wonders if they actually were. In addition, as Thompson points out (p. 174 and fn. 1), there is occasionally, as here, a curious ornament - a palmette downwards - on Athena's throne (this 'decoration' appears on a few issues from nearby mints as well). Exactly what it means is uncertain, but it is certain that it must mean something.